Touch latch for ceiling light fixtures



Aug. 22', 1961 M. BOBRICK TOUCH LATCH FOR CEILING LIGHT FIXTURES 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1960 IIVI/ENTOI? MIMI/H L MEIR/H ATTORNEYAug. 22, 1961 M. BOBRICK TOUCH LATCH FOR CEILING LIGHT FIXTURES 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 1, 1960 IIIIII'I'JIIIIAL m at ATTORNEY Aug.22, 1961 M. BOBRICK TOUCH LATCH FOR CEILING LIGHT FIXTURES 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1, 1960 //v VE/V TOR All/MHZ MFR/67f A TTORIVE Y Aug. 22, 1961 M. BOBRICK 2,997,321

TOUCH LATCH FOR CEILING LIGHT FIXTURES Filed Feb. 1, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet4 FIG. [4.

FIG. I044.

A 7' TORNE Y ilnite sates Filed Feb. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 5,786 4 Claims.(Cl. 2929'l) This invention relates to latching and hinging means forthe lens or diffuser frame of a ceiling light fixture and particularlyof a flush mounted ceiling light fixture.

One object of the invention is to provide a touch latch. Another objectis to provide latching means for a ceiling light fixture which permitsthe diffuser frame to be installed or removed without the use of toolsand without hand operations except those of pressing upon the framemargins and of holding the diffuser frame to prevent it from falling.Another object is to provide touch latch means for mounting a ceilinglight fixture whereby the diffuser frame may be attached by merelypressing it into place and which may be completely detached or,alternatively, detached on one side with hinging on the other side, toprovide access to the interior of the light fixture.

These and other objects are attained by my invention which will beunderstood from the following description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing aflush mounted ceiling light fixture and a diffuser frame equipped withmy touch latch means, in disengaged position;

P16. 2 is a perspective view of a flush mounted ceiling light fixtureshowing one side of the mounted diffuser frame equipped with touch latchmeans in detached position while the other side of the frame is hingedlysupported by latch members of a slightly different form which remainlatched (unless intentionally released) to provide a hinged mounting forone side of the difluser frame.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the friction element which holds thelatch operating member in operative alignment when disengaged from thelatch;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the diffuser frame showingthe openings for mounting the friction element of FIG. 6 therein;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the strike member of the latch;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the short latch operating member;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a latch operating member with anelongated nose which, when used in place of a short operating memberfunctions to prevent unlatching of the devices on one side of thediffuser frame;

FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing a short latch operating memberequipped with a safety spring catch which when used on the latches onone side of the frame, provide unlatched but hinged support (manuallyreleasable) for the frame.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the spring member of the latchassembly;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing thelatch and the latch operating member in latched position;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional assrszi Patented Aug.22, 1961 view showing the latch and long latch operating member inrestrained position due to the long nose, which prevents unlatching; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG.4 in which the safety spring catch attachment on a short nose operatingmember prevents unlatching.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1, a ceiling light fixture21 is shown in flush mounting on a ceiling 22, the fixture beingsupported by any suitable supporting means, not shown, on the ceilingstructural member. The light fixture is provided with side walls 23 andend walls 24 forming a housing, the said end walls supporting sockets 25for fluorescent tubes 26.

The lower margins of the side walls 23 and the end walls 24 of thefixture are provided with overlapping trim members 30 which pressagainst the ceiling surface 3 1, there being horizontal stop rims 30Awhich limit the upward movement of the diffuser frame, the opening forthe diffuser frame 32 being defined by said lower margins of side wallsand end walls adjacent said trim members 30.

The diffuser frame 32 consists of end pieces 33 and side pieces 34 whichare joined at the ends to form a rectangular frame, this frame fittinginto the opening defined -by the lower margins of the side walls 23 andend walls 24.

Usually there are four latching devices provided, each of which consistsof a latch operating member 37 attached to the diffuser frame, a strike50 and a spring member 51 for the strike, attached to the side walls 23of the fixture, as will now be more particularly described.

The latch operating member 37 which is shown in detail in FIG. 9consists of a bar 3-8 having a squared crosssupporting and hinging arm39 attached at one end and a round latching pin 40 adjacent the upperend 41, the arm and pin being parallel and at right angles to the latchmember 3-7. A short nose 42 extends from the bar beyond the latchingcross pin 40.

An opening 44 for the latch member 37 is provided in the side piece 34of the diffuser frame 32, this opening extending through the top member35 of the channel side piece 32 and the opening also extending into thevertical member 36 of the channel side piece 32, as shown particularlyin FIG. 7.

A friction element 65 is provided in the channel side member 34 of thediifuser frame 32 adjacent the openings in the horizontal member 35 andin the vertical member 36. The element 65 has a back plate 66 attachedat 70 to the diffuser frame channel member 35, and side walls 67 withside tabs 68 which engage pocket slots 47 in the channel vertical member36. A spring tab 71 is struck out from the back plate 66 to resilientlysupport the latch member 3-7.

Extension tabs 69 extend below the slots 47 from the side tabs 68 whichare somewhat loosely wrapped partly around the squared cross hingingarms 39. The back plate 66 of the friction element 65 presses upon thesquare end 39 of the bar 38 or alternatively on the flat face of saidbar (near the cross arms 39) to frictionally hold said bar in either thecorrect vertical position to engage the strike 50, or in position atright angles thereto, corresponding to the hinged down position. Thelatch operating member 37 is provided (when required) with an offsetbend 43 so that the latching cross pin 40 will engage the strike 5i)which is mounted in the side wall 23 of the ceiling fixture, entranceholes 59 for the latch operating bars being provided through the rim30A.

The strike 50, shown particularly in FIG. 8, is shaped from sheet metal,there being a vertical body portion 53, a top horizontal mounting flange54 which engages in a slot 27 in the side wall 23, a pair of slopingstrike surfaces 55 each terminating at approximately half the verticalheight of the body 53 in horizontal grooved detents 56, there being anopening 57 in said body between said detents 56 adapted to admit thelatch operating bar 33. Above the detents 56, said opening 57communicates with a wider opening 58 in the body portion 53, this beingwide enough to allow free passage therethrough of the latching cross pin40 when it is raised above the detents 56.

The spring member 51 for the strike 50 is generally shaped to fit overthe strike, the legs 52 being arranged to press against the back facesof strike surfaces 55 and the detents 56. When the latching cross pin40, carried by the bar 38 of the latching member 37 is pressed upwardly,the ends of the latching pin 40 are guided into the grooved detents bythe strike surfaces 55. The diffuser frame 32 is then supported inproper place in the fixture opening by the four latches. (See FIG. 12.)

To release the latches, the diffuser frame is again pushed upwardly.This causes the latching pins 40 to be raised above the detents 56, andthe bar 38 and the pins 40 pass through the opening 58, and release thedifiuser frame 32.

In an alternative form of my invention, shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 10 and 13,the latches on one side only of the diffuser frame are arranged forreleasing the frame as described above, while the latches on the opposedside are constructed so that these latches are not released by a furtherupward push, but instead hold the one side of the diffuser framesecurely in latched position. In this form a long nose 61 on the latchbars 38A (see FIGS. 10 and 13) is used. The long nose 61 prevents thelatch member 37A from being pushed upwardly far enough to release thelatching cross pin 40 into the opening 58, and the cross pins 40 remainin the detents 56. The cross supporting arm 39 at the other end of thelatch bar 37A then serves as a pivot engaging the underside of the topmember 35 of the channel side piece 32 by which the diffuser frame maybe hingedly supported to a full opening, as indicated in FIG. 4.

Instead of using a long nose 61 on the latch bars 38A in thisalternative form of the invention, a spring catch 62 may be attached tothe end of a short nose 42 on the latch operating bar 38, the springbeing provided with a shoulder 63 which engages the edge of the entrancehole 59 in the horizontal n'm portion 30A of the trim member 30. Thisprevents the withdrawal of the latch operating bars on the fixture sideto which the diffuser frame is hinged, unless the end 64 of the springcatch is pressed inwardly to release the catch, after which the latchoperating bar with the spring catch may be completely withdrawn, thusreleasing the frame.

I prefer to use a pair of latches on the two opposite long sides of afluorescent light fixture, but obviously one or a greater number thantwo may be used on each side.

While I have illustrated the use of my touch latch device as applied tothe problem of removably supporting a diffuser frame in a trofferfluorescent light fixture, the latch may be used in other similarapplications of closures where a mere push latches the parts, and asecond push unlatches the separable parts, for example, in hingedcupboard doors.

The advantages of my invention will be understood from the abovedescription. The touch latch device applied to both sides of thediffuser frame and of the corresponding fixture frame provides means ofreadily attaching or detaching the frame without any tools, merely bypressing the latches upwardly to latch, and then again pressing upwardlyto release. Where it is desired to hinge the frame on one side, thetouch latches may be provided on one side of the frame, to be attachedand detached as described, while the opposite side is attached merely bypressing the latches into the strikes as before, but because of the useof a long nose of the strike, or of a spring catch attached to a shortnose, these may not be unlatched by a second upward thrust, but remainlatched until intentionally released. Hinging is then provided by thehinged attachment of the other end of the strike bar to the diffuserframe.

The objectives stated at the beginning have been attained.

I claim:

1. In a touch latch for use in holding a closure member in juxtaposedrelation to a framed opening in a body member, a latch member and alatch operating bar, said latch member comprising a strike plate mountedon the inside frame surface of said body member, said strike plate beingbifurcated by a T-shaped slot forming legs which are laterally springbiased against said inside frame surface, each of said strike plate legsbeing provided with a flared end portion and having a cross groovedetent inwardly of said flared portion, the cap portion of said T-shapedslot being disposed inwardly from said groove detents; and said latchoperating bar having one end attached to the closure member, said barhaving a latching cross pin disposed near the unattached end thereof,the end portions of said cross pin being adapted to enter said flaredends of said legs to engage said groove detents when said juxtaposedmembers are initially pressed together, said cross pin being of lengthnot greater than said cap portion of said T-shaped slot whereby whensaid members are pressed together a second time, said pin is pushed outof said detents of said strike plate, and said bar and pin pass throughsaid T-shaped slot, whereby the members become unlatched.

2. In a touch latch for use in holding a closure member in juxtaposedrelation to a framed opening in a body member, a latch member and alatch operating bar, said latch member comprising a strike plate mountedon the inside frame surface of said body member, said strike plate beingbifurcated by a T-slot forming legs which are laterally spring biasedagainst said inside frame surface, each of said strike plate legs beingprovided with a flared end portion, and having a cross groove detentinwardly of said flared portion, the cap portion of said T-shaped slotbeing disposed inwardly from said groove detents; and said latchoperating bar having one end hingedly attached to the closure member,said bar having a latching cross pin disposed near the unattached endthereof, the end portions of said cross pin being adapted to enter saidflared ends of said legs to engage said groove detents when saidjuxtaposed members are initially pressed together, said cross pin beingof length not greater than said cap portion of said T-shaped slotwhereby when said members are pressed together a second time, said pinis pushed out of said detents of said strike plate, and said bar and pinpass through said T-shaped slot, whereby the members become unlatched.

3. In a touch latch for use in holding a closure member in juxtaposedrelation to a framed opening in a body member, a latch member and alatch operating bar, said latch member comprising a strike plate mountedon the insideframe surface of said body member, said strike plate beingbifurcated by a T-slot forming legs which are laterally spring biasedagainst said inside frame surface, each of said strike plate legs beingprovided with a flared end portion, and having a cross groove detentinwardly of said flared portion, the cap portion of said T-shaped slotbeing disposed inwardly from said groove detents; and said latchoperating bar having one end hingedly attached to the closure member,said bar having a latching cross pin disposed near the unattached endthereof, the end portions of said cross pin being adapted to enter saidflared ends of said legs to engage said groove detents when saidjuxtaposed members are initially pressed together, said end portion ofsaid latch operating bar extending beyond said cross pin for a distancegreater than the distance between said detents and said T-slot, wherebywhen said members are pressed together 5 a second time said cross pincannot pass through said T-slot.

4. The touch latch defined in claim 2, in which the portion of saidlatch operating bar extending beyond said cross pin is provided With amanually releasable safety spring catch which engages said body member,whereby the members become unlatched on the second push only when saidspring catch is released by hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

